This application is related to the following applications:
U.S. application Ser. No. 09/128,553, filed on Aug. 3, 1998, by Lynn McKernan and entitled xe2x80x9cA xe2x80x98Plug and Playxe2x80x99 Wireless Architecture Supporting Packet Data and IP Voice/Multimedia Services,xe2x80x9d pending;
U.S. application Ser. No. 09/219,539, filed on Dec. 23, 1998, by Lynn McKernan and entitled xe2x80x9cWireless Local Loop System Supporting Voice/IP,xe2x80x9d pending; and
U.S. application Ser. No. 09/676,055, filed on Sep. 29, 2000, by Stuart P. Kaler and entitled xe2x80x9cSystem and Method for Managing Base Stations in a Wireless System,xe2x80x9d pending.
This invention relates generally to the field of communications and, more specifically, to a system and method for managing terminal units in a wireless system.
Wireless networks typically allow terminal units to transmit and receive information over a wireless interface. Conventional terminal units include wireless telephones and computing devices connected to wireless modems. Base stations communicate with the terminal units over the wireless interface. The base stations establish, maintain, and release communications channels over the wireless interface, and the terminal units communicate with the base stations through the communications channels.
Typical wireless networks include an operations and maintenance center. The operations and maintenance center usually manages the various elements in the wireless networks. However, the operations and maintenance center in a typical wireless network does not manage the terminal units. The architectures of these networks typically do not view the terminal units as manageable entities.
Wireless networks that do manage the terminal units typically have very limited management capabilities. These wireless networks also often use a cascaded management scheme to manage the terminal units. One or more intermediate nodes between the operations and maintenance center and the terminal units perform mediation functions, translating the management messages from one format to another format that is understood by the intermediate node. For example, in conventional wireless networks, the base station controller receives management messages from the operations and maintenance center, translates the messages, and forwards the translated messages to the base station serving a terminal unit.
A problem with this approach is that it increases the complexity of the wireless network. Components in the network typically need to include mediation functionality in order to communicate with other elements in the wireless network. The mediation functionality allows the network components to receive a management message, convert the message into a different protocol, and route the translated message to another element in the network. The mediation functionality makes the network elements more complex, which increases the development time and the expense of each element. This also increases the complexity and expense of the network.
Another problem with this approach is that it increases the load on the network components. The network components typically must receive and process the management messages, converting the messages from one format to another. The network components are unable to process other messages at this time. When a large number of management messages are being sent in the wireless network, elements in the network may spend an excessive amount of time translating the management messages, rather than performing other tasks in the network.
In addition, modularity typically cannot be maintained in the wireless network. The network components usually include proprietary management interfaces, which may prevent some of those components from properly communicating with one another. To properly transport management messages in the network, the components installed in the network need to understand the proprietary interfaces used by other components in the network. If a component cannot understand a proprietary interface in another component, the components may be unable to communicate effectively, and the network may be unable to transport management messages between the components. Because of the proprietary interfaces, a network operator is typically limited in the types of equipment that can be purchased and installed in the network.
In accordance with the present invention, a system and method for managing terminal units in a wireless system are provided that substantially reduce or eliminate disadvantages and problems associated with previously developed systems and methods.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a communications system includes a base station operable to communicate with a terminal unit over a wireless interface and a packet network coupled to the base station and operable to communicate with the base station. The system also includes a network management system coupled to the packet network. The network management system is operable to generate a management message to manage the terminal unit. The network management system is also operable to transparently communicate the management message to the terminal unit and to transparently receive a response to the management message from the terminal unit.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method for managing terminal units in a wireless system includes generating a management message for the terminal unit. The method also includes transparently communicating the management message from a network management system to the terminal unit. The method further includes transparently receiving a response to the management message at the network management system from the terminal unit.
Embodiments of the invention provide numerous technical advantages. For example, in one embodiment of the invention, a communications system is provided that manages the terminal units. In this embodiment, the system views the terminal units as manageable entities. A network management system may issue management messages to the terminal units to manage the terminal units in the system.
Some embodiments of the invention also use less complex elements in the network. In a particular embodiment, the system provides protocol layers for direct communications between a network management system and the terminal units. The protocol layers allow management messages to be transported between the network management system and the terminal units transparently. The network management system may manage the terminal units in the system without other intermediate network components, such as base station controllers, performing mediation functions. The components in the system do not require mediation functionality, which reduces the complexity and expense of the components in the system. This also helps reduce the complexity and expense of the communications system.
Some embodiments of the invention also decrease the load on the components in the system. The network management system and the terminal units may communicate transparently across the intermediate system components. These system components are not required to perform any mediation functions, so the components are able to perform other tasks. When a large number of management messages are being sent in the wireless network, the system components are not spending excessive amounts of time translating the management messages.
In addition, some embodiments of the invention help maintain modularity in the network. The components in the system may not need to understand proprietary management interfaces to function properly. By providing protocol layers for communications between the network management system and the terminal units, the management messages may be communicated transparently between those elements, even if proprietary interfaces are used in the network components. Other equipment in the network, like base station controllers, may be installed without determining whether they can perform mediation functions for the management messages. The base stations controllers may properly transport the management messages in the network without understanding the proprietary management interfaces used in other elements in the network.
Other technical advantages are readily apparent to one of skill in the art from the attached Figures, description, and claims.